"Game Management"

[DRAFTSTUD]

I have read several posts though the years about Wild Horses and the negative aspects they can have on the open range. Now that they have pushed through the Law where you can no longer slaughter them (Tame) for human consumption, where do you see the management of wild horses and burros in the west? I recently read that there are parts of the country where people are litterly turning them out into Bar Pits and the such. So if the East is full up, where do you put them?
I personally think they made a mistake with the no slaughter Law, some of these horses are not the walk up and pet kind you ride off into the sunset on. If there is a demand for the meat, sorry Trigger! My son and I attended an auction last fall and people were almost giving them away, $75 or if you spent $400 you got a nice Horse. $675.00 got a Barrel Horse that placed in the State Fair! John

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Around 1995 or so, I rode shotgun when my brother drew a Nevada muzzleloader tag east of Winnamucka (sp). All we did (until we moved) was run into herds of wild horses... and talk about spooky! They also tend to overgraze and take over waterholes. I'm not saying there isn't any place for the wild mustang, but common sense tells me they could stand to be thinned out a little. A herd of 75 to 150 animals as big as horses can't be good for any ecosystem.
It's the same old story -everyone LOVES horses- but nobody wants to spend either the time or money to do it. I'd rather be force-fed an enema rather than sit through another PBS documentary anthropromorhizing wild swaybacks. My mangey, feabitten cat is worth 10 of those jugheads anyday.

 

[elk_hunter]

Around 1995 or so, I rode shotgun when my brother drew a Nevada muzzleloader tag east of Winnamucka (sp). All we did (until we moved) was run into herds of wild horses... and talk about spooky! They also tend to overgraze and take over waterholes. I'm not saying there isn't any place for the wild mustang, but common sense tells me they could stand to be thinned out a little. A herd of 75 to 150 animals as big as horses can't be good for any ecosystem.
It's the same old story -everyone LOVES horses- but nobody wants to spend either the time or money to do it. I'd rather be force-fed an enema rather than sit through another PBS documentary anthropromorhizing wild swaybacks. My mangey, feabitten cat is worth 10 of those jugheads anyday.

Ditto!

 

[1_pointer]

The Wild Horse and Burro Act is a law written by emotion and as such makes the management of these animals quite difficult. Any place with wild horses has set a limit to the number of horses that they will have in any one place, once that get's reached they round 'em up and try to adopt them. If they can't be adopted, they sit in the long term holding facilities the rest of their lives. Even once adopted there's still requirements that are needed to be met by the new owner and some of that includes inspection of the animal/facilities by the BLM.

I didn't realize the slaughter law had changed. IIRC a law was just passed a couple of years ago allowing more wild horses to go to the rendering plant...?

 

[Dangerous Dave]

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a few years ago 2 nutbags got popped for taking matters into their own hands and started shooting up a herd of mustangs. Needless to say everyone was outraged.
1 pointer, it's good to hear that there are limits imposed on how many horses can occupy any one area. My concern is the "protected status" being conveyed on the mustangs... to the point where things are unmanagable.